Bel Fuse Inc. (NASDAQ:BELFB) Short Interest Down 14.7% in February

Bel Fuse Inc. (NASDAQ:BELFB) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest during the month of February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 482,749 shares, a drop of 14.7% from the January 29th total of 565,950 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 179,051 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.7 days. Approximately 4.0% of the company’s stock are sold short. Approximately 4.0% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 179,051 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.7 days.

Bel Fuse Price Performance

Bel Fuse stock opened at $213.65 on Wednesday. Bel Fuse has a 12-month low of $57.99 and a 12-month high of $248.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.70 billion, a PE ratio of 43.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.52. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $205.96 and a 200-day moving average price of $169.50. The company has a current ratio of 3.02, a quick ratio of 1.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46.

Bel Fuse Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.07 per share. This represents a $0.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.1%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 15th. Bel Fuse’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 5.70%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Needham & Company LLC raised their target price on Bel Fuse from $212.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Zacks Research downgraded Bel Fuse from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Northland Securities set a $266.00 price target on shares of Bel Fuse in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Bel Fuse from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Bel Fuse from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $196.20.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO Farouq Salem Ali Tuweiq sold 33,967 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $234.00, for a total value of $7,948,278.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Peter E. Gilbert sold 4,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $238.75, for a total value of $1,074,375.00. Following the sale, the director owned 15,047 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,592,471.25. This trade represents a 23.02% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 5.37% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bel Fuse

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Bel Fuse by 45.3% during the 4th quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 519,005 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $88,039,000 after buying an additional 161,736 shares in the last quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Bel Fuse by 28.8% in the fourth quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 40,583 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $6,884,000 after acquiring an additional 9,085 shares during the period. SummitTX Capital L.P. bought a new position in Bel Fuse during the 4th quarter worth about $684,000. Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its position in Bel Fuse by 19.2% during the 4th quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 619,337 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $105,016,000 after purchasing an additional 99,834 shares during the period. Finally, Evolve Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Bel Fuse during the 4th quarter valued at about $628,000. 58.39% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Bel Fuse Company Profile

Bel Fuse Inc is a global manufacturer of electronic components that bridge power, data and video applications. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products, including board-level circuit protection devices such as fuses, positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistors and inductors; power transformers, modules and supplies; as well as connectivity solutions encompassing USB, HDMI, RJ45, coaxial and fiber-optic connectors. These products serve a wide array of end markets, including telecommunications, data communications, consumer electronics, industrial automation, automotive and renewable energy.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Oradell, New Jersey, Bel Fuse has grown through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.